Diary at DailyKos: "My Stepson Has Some Words For Karen Hughes"

Thought-provoking, interesting and moving diary by MeteorBlades at DailyKos to which I thought I would bring attention.

His stepson was born in Washington state, lived most of his life in Libya and then chose to come to the U.S. right before Sept. 11, 2001. He is now unsure whether to stay here.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/3/16/154022/379

My Stepson Has Some Words for Karen Hughes
by Meteor Blades
Wed Mar 16th, 2005 at 12:40:21 PST

Fifty months into the Dubyanocchio Administration and it's finally been decided that America's global reputation has some dings in it, particularly among Muslims and Arabs. Amazing how decades of support for coups and monstrous autocrats followed by an imperial war and threats of more to come in the heart of the planet's largest oil reserves can bend people's perceptions.
As with any difficulty encountered by the Bush crew, this one eventually had to get designated as a task for PR tweaking. Yep. America's reputation is just an image problem, a marketing fluke. Assigned to straighten this out from her new post as undersecretary for public diplomacy is Karen Hughes, one of the president's preeminent tweakers.

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You really want to know how to improve America's image in the Arab world, Ms. Hughes? Pay attention to my stepson.

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"The Man with No Country
Although I was born in the United States, I lived most of my life in Libya with my father. In Libya, people live under an oppressive government. One of the most widely known stories happened in the early 1980's. Several university students were taken from their classrooms. They got hanged just tens of meters away from their classes in the campus square. The only thing they had done was not agreeing with the government's point of view. The executions were shown on the government TV. The students did not have any trial. Their lives did not mean anything to the people who killed them.

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I remember the night I talked to my father about coming to live in the United States. I saw tears on his face. He told me, 'Son, you are a man now and you can make your own decisions.' I remember that night very well because the day after would change my fate forever.

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I understood why this was happening. America was attacked. I thought America was right to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda. I thought that after the war Arabs and Muslims would not be treated differently. I was wrong.

I have traveled by airplane six times overseas and four times in the U.S. in the past three years. I notice that I am selected in their 'random search' every single time before I get into an airplane. I have been 'interviewed' several times, once for more than an hour. Not only me. My mother and my stepfather are selected every time they travel as well. Also every time before I leave the package claim area I get pulled aside for another full search. All that treatment because my name is and my religion is Islam. It is humiliating to have my freedom in the hands of people who don't understand my religion or my culture.

The war on Iraq makes everything worse. What happens at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo shames me, but this does not seem to matter very much to other Americans. When I am in the airport now and they search me I wonder if they would torture me. President Bush talks about how bad Iran and Syria are, and I worry we will have more war against Muslims. I think Bush believes in a Crusade, not in freedom and democracy.

MORE AT LINK

"Those who would give up their liberty for a little security deserve neither liberty nor security."

It is a terrible time in the world today. I am saddened by how our country treats its people. I have been told I live in a FREE country.... I am now accepting the fact that this is not true.

Thanks for the post...

personally, I haven't flown since Sept. 11 2001, and won't even try. I am really worried and concerned that I will either be hassled like this fellow or refused to be allowed to fly.

just another ornimental on the wall is all.